When you step off the boat onto the docks at The Cave Bar & Grill, you can just tell there’s something special about this place. Every moment after that confirms it.
Opened just in time for July 4th weekend, The Cave immediately became one of Lake of the Ozarks’ most popular waterfront spots.
Find The Cave by the water at the 4 MM on the Niangua Arm, just past the Highway 5 Niangua Bridge. https://cavebar.com
The pool and dining layout are brilliant. Rather than a large, squarish pool, The Cave’s pool winds along the landscape in long stretches, working with the natural cliffside setting. This span of the Lake runs along a large cliff, and the architecture of The Cave’s dining, bars, and pools works perfectly in sync with it. Thomas Construction hit this one out of the park. Everywhere you go here, there’s a rugged, stark cliff aesthetic on one side, and the sprawling Niangua Arm of Lake of the Ozarks on the other. Stretching along the lakefront? Soft, shimmering white sand, brought in from local sand quarry Shawnee Bend Sand. It imparts an indisputably Caribbean vibe.
The Cave really does have a cave, and it’s remarkable. No mere outcropping in the cliff, this thing goes way back, with room for a pool (the same pool that extends outside through the main dining area), sitting area, and enormous cornhole-and-sand pit… and that’s about half of it! The rest of the space isn’t even being used yet. Marketing Manager Jamie Lusero says they’re still floating ideas.
In between the Lake and the cliffs, The Cave hosts good fun, good food, and good drinks. With no indoor seating, the Cave will be a warm-season spot: Jamie says they'll stay open as long as they reasonably can into the fall.
With customers lining up even before The Cave opens, it’s hard work for staff, no doubt. But Manager Elmo Willoughby’s morning meeting on Friday, July 8 found cheery spirits, a round of applause for the newest employee, and encouraging words before a busy day.
Despite being busy, The Cave staff was attentive to guests. Debbie Ockrim’s son was getting married Friday on the east coast, but she and her husband weren’t able to be there. So they came to The Cave where staff helped them get connected to the wedding Zoom. “The manager was so kind, he set up all the Zoom,” Debbie said. “They went above and beyond… They’re just starting and getting opened, so it was very nice that they took the time to do all that for me.”
The dynamic duo of Elmo running the front of the house and Chef Pierre Torres running the back of the house has now resulted in three wildly successful Lake of the Ozarks restaurants in eight years: Redhead Lakeside Grill, Roxie’s Roadhouse, and The Cave (in that order). Chef Pierre has crafted a delicious menu yet again, so here are a few ideas on what to order next time you go…
What To Order At The Cave
Spicy Italian Sandwich
So loaded with flavor, and so many contributors to the spiciness, this grotto-style sandwich on a ciabatta-style bun is loaded with deliciousness! The bread — so often an afterthought — is absolutely key to this sandwich. Soft and light on the inside with a perfect not-too-toasted crunch on the outside.
Caprese
This caprese is downright indulgent. Fresh basil, gargantuan tomatoes, and mozzarella segments just as large. The tomato is savory — almost meaty — the cheese is mild, and the basil adds that yummy something on the back end. You’ve had caprese: this one will not disappoint. You’ve not had caprese? This should be your first caprese.
Breakfast Sandwich
A grand sandwich, the fried egg and bacon on this one are accompanied by mild provolone and red pepper jam to give a little sweetness and a little kick.
Why a breakfast sandwich at a lakefront restaurant/bar? Well, because at 10:30, 30 minutes before they even opened, this place was hopping. By opening at 11, tables were filling up. By 11:30, it was hard to find one!
White Chicken Pizza
Meaty and wonderful. The chicken, bacon, and alfredo sauce are rich and savory. The jalapenos add just enough kick to keep it interesting without scaring off the upper Midwesterners visiting the Lake (you know who you are!) One of these is an excellent way to keep the group snacking, with plenty to go around — or just order a few and call it a day.
Hawaiian Sandwich
Take a bite of this sandwich and you’ll agree: it’s all about that jam.
But then you realize it’s also about the capicola. And the pineapple, of course. And the chicken.
Finally you concede this sandwich is just a group of really cool foods hanging out in a buttery bun. If you’re wanting something spicy or savory, look elsewhere: this one is sweet and decadent.
Pork Chop
For when you’re at The Cave, craving a delicious and elegant dish. Tender and savory, this bone-in pork chop would dominate the plate… were it not for the succotash! Now, this succotash is spicy, thanks in part to the jalapeno jam drizzled across. So proceed with caution. But proceed indeed. Richly seasoned, aesthetically brilliant, this dish is a delightful surprise on an otherwise very casual menu.
What To Drink At The Cave
Pain In The Ass
Smooth, creamy and sweet, tropical and not overpowering. If you like frozens, you’ll like this, and it’s a PERFECT sipper poolside. Tropical drink in hand, feet in tropical sand. This drink brings the Caribbean to the Midwest. Be careful with this one though! It’s got plenty of booze hiding in the frozen sweetness.
Lake Water
A Lake of the Ozarks classic! If you can’t find it on the menu, that’s because it’s not there. But the bar staff says they’ve been making plenty of these already at The Cave. Pretty straightforward, this one is pineapple juice with Coconut Rum and Blue Curacao. With swirling shades of blue, Lake Water is sweet, drinkable, and eminently tropical.
Redhead Rum Punch
Cruzan Banana and Cruzan Mango rums, blended with orange and pineapple juices and sparkling black raspberry Ice, this specialty cocktail is bubbly, fruity, and fun to sip.
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